Chapter three (HPtDT)
Harry's plan to bring down Arthur Weasley had worked brilliantly so far. Arthur took his family on a vacation that they couldn't afford, instead of paying off debts, and Harry reported the findings of his investigation to the DMLE and Arthur was found to have broken several of his own laws regarding charmed objects and muggle artifacts. Harry, with the secret backing of the Dark Faction and the public support of the Grey Faction, had re-written Weasley's idiot laws to be a tool of secret conquest and oppression, and all while actually doing far more to protect muggles than Weasley's worthless act ever could. Harry had even completed his OWLs and NEWTs in Muggle Studies and Arithmancy while studying, plotting, writing the act, improving his dueling skills, and studying more magic. But, now it was time to get his version of the Muggle Protection Act passed. "This summer solstice Wizengamot will now begin," Dumbledore said. "The first order of business will be replacing Arthur Weasley's Muggle Protection Act with a newer version written by Lord Black. Are there any questions about the new version of the act?" "What does Lord Black mean by those of good standing?" Lord James Potter asked. "People who aren't criminals... for example a known rapist can't ward the property of a woman living alone and doing so would be a crime. If a magical harasses someone, they can't ward their property. That part of the act allows those capable of it to protect muggle family members and muggle friends with or without their knowledge." James nodded and stupidly trusted that Harry had good intentions with that section of his act. "Leave it to a member of the Light Faction to actually question a truly fair act that doesn't target or oppress their enemies for them," Lord Nott commented snidely, playing his part well. The Dark Faction feigning amusement was part of their act too.... The Muggle Protection Act treated all magical's fairly while also protecting non-magical's from abuse. It allowed magical's a sense of privacy and allowed them to keep their artifacts secret while swearing that either none were of muggle origin or that they had fully disclosed any and all objects of muggle origin. Harry, of course, created himself an extremely obscure loophole that took him days of intense thought to devise. Predictably, Lord Nott's insult stated the Dark Faction's views of it being genuinely fair to them, while also starting an argument. "I just wanted an explanation of his definition of a person good standing, Death Eater!" "I was declared innocent of that crime and you just wanted to annoy the only son that you should be proud of," Nott argued, angering both James Senior and Junior. "Former son," Harry interjected in annoyance. "James Junior is going to grow up to surpass Dumbledore!" James said, causing his son to look arrogant. "Shouldn't he surpass a second rate wizard first?" Nott asked mockingly, causing some laughter. "He's magically mediocre, of average intelligence, and has demonstrated no outstanding magical talent. Still, Lord Black is closer to surpassing Dumbledore than your failure of a son is." "Enough!" Dumbledore called out. "Are there any other questions?" "Who exactly did you have in mind as judges for the lower court to be formed?" Lord Macmillan asked. "My short list of names was Lady Lily Potter, Bartemius Crouch, Madam Bones, Andromeda Tonks, Filius Flitwick, Lady Augusta Longbottom, Lord Alexander Greengrass, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Albus Dumbledore. All are either highly knowledgeable in law, magic, or both." Harry replied and most seemed to agree, but still wanted a position of power and influence for themselves or their family. Harry had already insured that only competent people would gain a position on that court, and ideally only people that he could control or at least influence. Dumbledore called for a vote and the Muggle Protection Act passed by a super majority. With that done, they began nominating the seven judges. Dumbledore, Bones, and Flitwick declined citing a lack of free time, and Crouch was quickly voted down due to his past, which Harry found unfortunate due to the leverage he had over him. In the end, it was Lily Potter, Alexander Greengrass, Andromeda Tonks, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Augusta Longbottom, and, surprisingly, Alastor Moody. So Harry got four judges that he could influence, which was great, and Remus might go along with his plots on some occasions. Either way, Harry could block any undesirable experiments and some peoples idiotic or dangerous dreams from being realized. "Any other business?" Dumbledore asked. "I move to banish House Weasley from the Wizengamot until they can pay off their fines," Harry said, to the Light Factions anger. "He is an idiot and clearly refuses to get out of his own way, that is why I suggest this. House Weasley is 5000 galleons in debt with 1,500 being owed to the Ministry itself and Lord Weasley has demonstrated no intention of paying said debts. As we speak, he is wasting 700 galleons on a vacation that he can't afford and leaving his debts unpaid. I say that we show this mentally defective man-child that his actions have consequences and punish him for his and his families stupidity!" The anger and disgust the Wizengamot had for Arthur Weasley assured that Harry would get wish, House Weasley was banished with the Light Faction failing to stop it. With the Wizengamot having no other business, Harry spoke with Bones about Arthur's car being stripped of magic and sold into the muggle world to recover money for fines and any excess being used to pay off some of the idiotic mans debts, which she agreed with. Harry wasn't completely without mercy, he just wanted Arthur Weasley to act like an adult of his station. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- September 1st, 1993. The time since the Wizengamot meeting had been great. When the Daily Prophet published a picture of the Weasley's, Sirius identified Pettigrew's Animagus form and informed Amelia Bones... they failed to catch him, however, and Pettigrew managed to flee largely due to Ron Weasley's protests. And then, when Harry was doing some last minute shopping, Ron Weasley saw him and tried attacking him for all he had done against House Weasley. Harry telekinetically stopped Ron and forced him to kneel, breaking several bones, and then held him there until the Aurors arrived to take him away. Dumbledore, of course, got Ron out of trouble and used up some more favors. Harry didn't honestly care, the next time Ron did that he would simply use lethal force and be done with him. The bigger concern was the Dementors being stationed around Hogwarts and them having just recently attacked his brother and Harry merely drove them all away with his own Patronus. They needed to be sent away before they actually did some real harm. While Harry didn't particularly like his brother; he found him unduly arrogant, unintelligent, and magically weak, but he didn't want him dead. Harry just wanted him to grow up and not be like his worthless father. "Hey, Harry," James said, barging into his compartment with Ron behind him. "We've decided to put you in your place, Dark Wizard!" "Walk away squibs. Unlike you idiots I actually know how to use my magic." Harry replied, but his wand was already within reach. They went for their wands and Harry already had his, they were both quickly disarmed and bound. "You've exhausted my patience Ronald Weasley. You will never trouble me again and your execution is now legal." Harry unleashed a blast of lightning upon a screaming Ron Weasley, soon causing lightning to exit all over his body and horrifically burning and scarring him. Ron Weasley would suffer for life... memory issues, muscle twitches, and trouble with concentration, but the burns would be healed. Harry was forced to shield against Percy, Fred, George, and Ginny Weasley's spells. "This is a legal execution, Weasley's. Run along or join your worthless brother for attacking me." "Harry, please don't!" James begged, realizing that Harry could easily kill them all. Harry disarmed and bound them all and then placed Ron into medical stasis. Harry conjured a Patronus and then sent a message to Sirius and Dumbledore. "You really need better friends, but Ron Weasley's time at Hogwarts is over. Dumbledore won't have a choice in the matter. I'm tired of indulging him and letting him ruin Hogwarts." When they arrived at Hogwarts, they met up with Sirius and went directly to Dumbledore's office, denying McGonagall and Pompfrey's orders for Ron to receive medical attention. "Lord Black," Dumbledore greeted him coldly, with the Potter and Weasley parents. "Goat fucking moron who can't run a school," Harry returned, causing Sirius to snicker. "Ron and James here attacked me without cause, saying that they would 'put me in my place.' It didn't end well for them and when I legally began to execute Ron his equally worthless family interfered. Ron either dies or his time at Hogwarts is over." "No, Ronald has suffered enough and likely will for the rest of his life. I may not be able to punish you, but I can ensure that Ron lives and receives a good education." Dumbledore replied, and Harry laughed and began releasing his true full power. "The will of the Headmaster can be overturned by the Board of Governors, which admittedly sympathize with you, but the Lords of Hogwarts; Lord Gryffindor and Slytherin can overrule them all." Harry revealed his two Lordship rings. "How fortunate that I'm both." The Weasley's, Potters, Dumbledore, and McGonagall were all restrained by the power of Hogwarts and then forced to kneel. "I will make an example of Ron Weasley." "Harry..." Sirius said in concern. "Don't worry, Sirius. Ron only needs a little more damage to be truly broken." "Please don't! I'll do anything!" Arthur pleaded. "Why? I'm doing you a favor! One less mouth to feed and one less child to send to Hogwarts! It's not like Ron will ever amount to anything anyway!" Harry said. Harry let Dumbledore escape the magical restraints and attack him, but Harry quickly disarmed Dumbledore of the Elder Wand, and then forced him to kneel again. "Well, you're fired. Attacking someone on their own property... shameful." Dumbledore suddenly realized that Harry was in full control and didn't lapse in concentration enabling him to escape... it was a trap. Could Harry have known that Albus possessed the Elder Wand? Harry removed Ron's eyes and hands. "Ron Weasley is hereby expelled for assaulting students and being unable to perform the class work. For their attack upon me, James Potter and Fred and George Weasley are removed from the Gryffindor Quidditch team and Percy Weasley is stripped of his Head Boy title and all Prefect powers. As for young Ginny, well being her is punishment enough." Everyone was angered and horrified. "Madam Pompfrey, you may stabilize Ron Weasley for transportation to another Healer." Harry said and she quickly did so. "Weasley brats, you may leave. Weasley parents you can wait for your worthless son to be ready to be sent away. Potters, you can go jump off the Astronomy Tower for all I care, but you are leaving this office." Snape chuckled in the background. "McGonagall, run along," Harry said when she stayed. Albus nodded to her and she left. "We both know that you can't kill or torture me, Harry," Dumbledore said conversationally. "Hogwarts is actually an independent entity and Headmasters never had any real authority to negotiate that away. Legally, I can use the Unforgivable's on you." Dumbledore began to look concerned, but Sirius knew that Harry wouldn't do that. "As I said before, you are fired and if you test me, then I'll purge the school of those loyal to you and make your life a living hell. All those crimes you've committed and all that information that you've withheld would see you ruined." Dumbledore looked a little concerned. "Yes, by the way, Arcturus found it and we removed it..." Dumbledore was shocked. "Yeah, thanks for planning to kill me after leaving me to suffer for over ten years." "The Killing Curse only effects one soul, Lord Black," Dumbledore argued. "Your full soul would have came back from the dead in full control of your body. And I was trying to find other solutions to remove the horcrux in my spare time." Dumbledore left unsaid that he had very little free time, but Harry would have been fine anyway. Albus wanted James to grow up stable and he didn't want Harry to be jealous of his brothers fame, power, influence, or heir status. Now it was reversed due to the action of Fleamont and Charlus Potter and James was deprived of valuable knowledge, wealth, resources, and he was now jealous of his former brother. "A horcrux?" Snape asked in shock. "Yes, you can cast the detection spell on my forehead if you wish to prove that it's gone," Harry replied. Sirius was shocked in silence due to Dumbledore's actions, plans, and the taboo subject of horcruxes. Snape did confirm that the horcrux was gone for his own peace of mind. "The House-elves will pack your things for you Dumbledore. Only your things and you'll be out before dinner is over. Professor Snape, can you please announce Dumbles dismissal?" "Yes, Lord Slytherin," Snape replied before leaving. The Hogwarts House elves appeared and began packing Dumbledore's things. "You'll need a new Transfiguration teacher," Dumbledore said. "No, I'll only need a new Headmaster and Deputy Headmaster. I've no intention of letting one of your pawns run my school into the ground or silently oppose my reforms. I'll be removing Muggle Art and Music and directing that funding into magic related fields and Binn's will be dismissed. Curse Breakers, of course, will be called in to investigate the curse of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position. Hagrid becoming the teacher for Care of Magical Creatures was blocked on my orders, so I won't have to clean up that idiots messes." Dumbledore took it in silence knowing that arguing would do no good. Harry legally took control of Hogwarts and not even contesting his hold over House Gryffindor and Slytherin would do any good. Both were patriarchal and required Mage-level power to command the family magic of them. "I see why you were sorted in Slytherin, Lord Black. Arcturus, Fleamont, Euphemia, Dorea, and Charlus would all be quite proud of you." Dumbledore admitted grudgingly. Not even Dumbledore imagined Harry being the Lord Gryffindor and Slytherin and removing him from Hogwarts so easily. "Can I have my wand back now?" "You mean the Elder Wand which was stolen from the Peverell's by an idiot who couldn't even use it properly?" Harry asked in return. "I'll be keeping the recovered artifact." "It's just a wand, Lord Black, I've studied it extensively." Dumbledore said. Harry responded by drawing the Elder Wand and drawing on its stored power, increasing his own by ten percent and shocking Dumbledore. "It's a tool of infinite magical might. You just haven't read the instruction manual and lack the ability to access the full potential of the Hallows. They were made by Peverell's for Peverell's and everyone else gets moderately impressive artifacts when using them. Don't worry, you'll get an inkling of their full potential tonight." The House Elves finished packing Dumbledore's things and Harry left the old man restrained and had Sirius stand back. Harry withdrew the Resurrection Stone and Invisibility Cloak and placed all three Hallows upon Dumbledore's former desk and focused on them, levitating them, and willed them to enter him and become part of him. When they did, all three people were shocked with the results... the symbol of the Deathly Hallows appeared on Harry's chest as he became a tier four Archmage due to the spare power and all of his physical infirmities were removed, with Harry having very few thanks to Arcturus and Harry became truly immortal. As immortal, eternal, and as undying as Death itself, but would cease aging in his prime. As Harry regained his former emerald green eye color, no longer briefly gold, Dumbledore began to speak again. "But you'll stop aging at age thirteen," Dumbledore said in concern. "No. Only in my prime after age twenty." Harry replied, before tearing through Dumbledore's mental defenses and copying his magical knowledge and giving himself an imprint of Dumbledore's skill. "Just in case you decide to attack me or help my idiotic former family... I'll know every bit of magic you use against me." "That wasn't necessary!" Dumbledore replied angrily. "You can't even be killed! I would have stopped them from challenging you myself just to keep them alive!" Harry rolled his eyes and then banished Dumbledore and his property to the outside of Hogwarts wards, and rendered him unable to blab about his ascension. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After replacing Dumbledore with Alexander Greengrass as Headmaster and McGonagall with Augusta Longbottom as Deputy Headmaster, Harry began enacting reforms through them. The Board of Governors was abolished and replaced with advisors. The Music, Muggle Music, Art, and Muggle Art electives were all removed and Binn's was replaced with someone useful. Divination would now only be taken after testing to see if a student had the gift, which angered several students. And muggle-borns or muggle raised students were now discouraged from taking Muggle Studies, but were offered the chance to take the OWL and NEWT in them anyway, and a new class Magical Studies and Etiquette. Dueling Club would be offered next year as an extra-curricular activity requiring the permission of the students legal guardian to participate. Thankfully, and partly due to Harry's and Augusta's intense training, Neville had gained a wand loyal to him and had managed to defeat James when he called him a squib and other insults for associating with Harry, who was one of the few people to actually care about Neville's well-being and potential. Harry had rapidly progressed in his Charms mastery, and was even preparing to take his Transfiguration Master test at the guild when he had the time, but that would be after his Charms mastery was done. Professor Flitwick estimated that he would achieve his mastery before the year was up. It was when Dumbledore used Fawkes to bypass Hogwarts wards that Harry was reminded to erect wards against Phoenixes, which due to that and the thrice-damned Triwizard Tournament Dumbledore had gotten them involved in really pissed Harry off. Not everyone was pleased with Harry's reforms. The Board of Governors was largely pissed off except those qualified to advise the school. Most of them just used up funding on their salaries, bonuses, and feasts and had all of that taken away. The Daily Prophet, of which Harry was a majority shareholder was helpful in exposing that corruption. Celestina Warbeck called Harry a backwards thinker and against the arts. Harry pointed out that there was a school for the arts and Hogwarts wasn't it and when she pushed the matter Harry called her a moronic ancient elder slag who needed to lose weight, stick to one husband, and keep her legs together. Predictably, that gained him some hate mail that he returned to the senders with a charm to constantly multiply, and with Howlers that caused a lot of damage. Harry got them to stop though. What was technically torture worked wonders for that. Harry was accused of being anti-muggle for removing Muggle Music and Art. Harry replied that Hogwarts was a school of magic, and not for art or music. The removal of those classes allowed students to focus on bettering themselves magically. Magical Studies and Etiquette was to help muggle-borns not seem rude, dismissive, ignorant, insulting, and to help them understand aspects of the new culture. It was working and that gained the new class some more support. The Potters tried causing trouble and even getting Harry stripped of his Lordships, but Harry retaliated with an honor duel and horrifically burned and injured James Potter Senior with the family magic of both House Slytherin and Gryffindor. To punish his former brother, Harry seduced Cho Chang, and due to having lost his virginity previous and having had lots of sex, he brought her a great deal of pleasure. James tried getting revenge by seducing Susan Bones and Daphne Greengrass, but was laughed at and made a joke of in the Great Hall. Her Grandfather took great pleasure in telling publicly him just how worthless and unworthy he was before warning him to stay away from his grand daughter under pain of death. James deserved it after getting rather insistent and was beginning to sexually harass them. Even Amelia threatened legal action if James ever tried that again. Harry had offered House Bones and Greengrass a Line Continuance option, which was accepted with the option to call it off if Susan or Daphne ever fell in love. Apparently Remus had been teaching James Jr. how to produce a Patronus; something that Harry could do by age eleven, and kept harassing him to teach him other magic: non-verbal casting, stronger and more dangerous spells, and other defensive magic. Basically James was trying to become a bigger threat to his brother, which Harry had confirmed with Legilimency and found mildly amusing. James' massive sense of entitlement was truly pathetic. James felt that he deserved all that Harry had because he was the first born, a Gryffindor, Light, good, not a killer, and that Harry was evil and needed to be defeated and that he didn't deserve his good life or to live at all. James even felt that he could out strategize, defeat, and manage the houses and responsibilities better... which involved letting his parents do it for him in his mind. Harry's brother was twisted by jealousy, greed, anger, and was delusional. James failed to understand that he could never inherit or steal his brothers titles... he was disinherited, too magically weak, and Harry quickly disowned him once he learned of his brothers vile murderous thoughts. Harry was secretly pleased when Snape exposed Lupin's lycanthropy, as messed up as that was, but it meant that James would be denied more training and buy Harry more time. James needed to either grow up and see that Harry was a victim of his parents who rose from defeat and betrayal stronger than ever or they would eventually be forced to fight to the death. Harry didn't want to hurt his brother though. It was James and Lily who had caused him anguish, not James. It was James who cost his son his inheritance with his own treason and it was Fleamont who protected his second grandson and family legacy from said traitor.